At Urbana, our menu of teas includes only premium-quality loose-leaf teas that are imported from many parts of the world.  We buy directly from tea importers, who buy tea from the top tea gardens several times a year in order to purchase each season’s best.  We offer more than 100 varieties of teas, including green, white, black, red (rooibos), fruit blends and wellness-infused herbal teas. Each day, we have a selection of teas available for sampling in our tea lounge.

     Many of our teas are organic and fair trade, which is an integral part of Urbana’s mission.  We are committed to quality and integrity.  Sample some of the delightful teas in our lounge, and choose your favorites to enjoy at home.  Explore our variety of tea accessories to make brewing at home effortless.

     We welcome you to begin your tea journey here.

 

BENEFITS OF TEA

Tea has been a popular beverage for thousands of years, and it’s the second most-consumed drink in the world today, following not too far behind water. In fact, hundreds of millions of people around the world drink it every day.

Tea has long been recognized for its healing power, but recent research has generated numerous articles and reports on the benefits of tea, making it hotter than ever. In case you missed a study or two, here’s a quick recap of tea in the news.

Here are some of the many benefits of drinking tea regularly:

 

Aging

Tea may contribute to fewer signs of aging, including wrinkles, age spots and hair loss.

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Allergies

Research shows that antioxidants in green tea block the biochemical process that produces an allergic response and may help fight pollen, pet dander and dust allergies.

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Alzheimer ’s Disease

Drinking three to four cups of green or black tea daily can improve memory and help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Tea appears to work similarly to drugs prescribed for Alzheimer’s disease, without the side effect of drugs.

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Antioxidants

Research has shown that tea may have stronger antioxidant properties than contained in many fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants are believed to neutralize free radicals that play a role in the development of certain cancers and heart disease.  In other research, it appears that the biggest antioxidant boost is achieved by brewing fresh tea, using loose-leaf tea, and if using tap water, bringing it to a full boil to keep chlorine from lowering antioxidant levels.

 

Blood Pressure

Research has shown that green tea is highly beneficial in lowering blood pressure.

 

Blood Sugar

Research has confirmed what was observed about 60 years ago at Kyoto University, that sugar in the urine of diabetes patients fell significantly when they participated in a tea ceremony.

 

Breast Cancer

Research shows that women who drink green tea are at lower risk of breast cancer, regardless of other health, diet or family history factors.

 

Cancer

Tea contains phytochemicals that help the body fight certain cancers. Drinking four cups of green tea a day triggers a powerful antioxidant in tea called EGCG that inhibits an enzyme needed by cancer cells in order to grow.  Dr. Mitchell Gaynor, director of medical oncology at Strang Cancer Prevention Center in New York, calls tea “one of the single best cancer fighters you can put in your body.”  Some research shows green tea to be slightly more effective than black tea in keeping cells healthy after exposure to cancer.

 

Cholesterol

Tea can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels by inhibiting LDL oxidation. One study showed that drinking five cups of caffeinated tea per day resulted in drops in LDL (“bad”) cholesterol of 10 percent.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture found that people who drink black tea for three weeks had a decrease of between seven and 11 percent of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol of 10 percent.